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ABSTRACT
This study examines the effects of home-based consultation for parents of young children with behavior problems. Three mothers and four children, ages 4–7 years, participated in the program which included in-home training of behavioral child management strategies (i.e., using appropriate praise, giving clear instructions, rules and reinforcement schedules, and effective consequences including time-out). Training consisted of written information, discussion, modeling, role-play, and practice with the mothers and children. The intervention condition consisted of home visits 2 to 3 times per week during which the parents implemented procedures in which they had been specifically trained, including (a) presentation of directions for completing chores, playing with siblings, etc., (b) use of a reinforcement schedule (5–10 minutes) for appropriate behaviors, (c) use of time-out for inappropriate behaviors, and (d) social reinforcement for earning designated compliance and engagement levels (parents and children played a game together as a reward). The experimenters collected parent and child behavior data, provided feedback and additional modeling of procedures as necessary, and consulted regarding any particular issues presented by the parents. Outcomes were monitored using a multiple base line design (probes) across subjects (families). Results indicate increased praise rates by parents, improved compliance with instructions by the children, and decreases in inappropriate child behaviors (i.e., aggression, destruction, grabbing, and negative verbal remarks) directed towards the participants. Minimal changes were noted in levels of parent-child interaction times from baseline to intervention.